As electric vehicles (EVs) proliferate, home charging is becoming a significant part of the vehicle ownership experience for many people. Even so, JD Power finds that many are frustrated with the experience. The company conducts frequent studies to determine how owners feel about specific aspects of the EV purchase and ownership experience, partnering with PlugShare on the U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Home Charging Study.
In the recently released 2023 EVX Home Charging Study, JD Power finds that rising electricity rates, charger reliability, and ease of use significantly affect owners’ overall satisfaction. The company notes that more than two-thirds of EV owners who participated in the study have Level 2 chargers at home, but charging speed remains a sticking point for many. Owners of newer EVs from 2022 and 2023, which often come with advanced fast-charging tech, are notably less happy than owners of 2020 and 2021 model-year EVs. That said, owners say they are happier after upgrading from Level 1 to Level 2.
According to the study, an owner’s geographic location impacts their feelings about home charging. People in cold places that receive nasty winter weather, such as New England, experience significant declines in satisfaction, while people living in warmer areas remain more satisfied. The study reveals that owners in the East South Central Region experience the highest overall satisfaction (785 on a 1,000-point scale), while those in New England (689) are the least satisfied. New England also experienced the largest regional decline, with a 27-point decrease from last year’s study.
Brent Gruber, executive director of JD Power’s EV practice, believes it’s an all-hands-on-deck effort to improve owner satisfaction and knowledge. “Whether you’re an automaker, dealer, or utility company participating in the EV ecosystem, improving the EV owner experience with respect to home charging should be a common goal shared by all,” Gruber said.
According to JD Power, EV owners are also missing out on rebates and discount programs. The study finds that just 51 percent of owners are aware of utility company programs in their area—slightly better than the previous year but far from enough. The discounts could go a long way in reducing the pain of rising electricity rates.
Scheduling charges is another trick few EV owners in the study do regularly. A little over one-third of respondents say they schedule charges during off-peak electric times, while 49 percent say they don’t schedule charges at all. Satisfaction with the scheduling process is higher when users access the manufacturer’s app instead of the charging company’s mobile app.
Education is crucial to bringing the public up to speed on home charging, and Gruber believes it’s a vital part of increasing EV adoption and use. “There are programs available today that will help EV owners with the startup costs, such as installing or upgrading to a faster Level 2 charger,” he said. “There are also programs designed to save EV owners money with the ongoing costs of charging their vehicle, like scheduling to charge during the most affordable time of day.” Referencing the surprising study results, he said that JD Power “sees that there is little awareness and utilization of these benefits. As the EV marketplace continues to grow, brands that help owners take advantage of these offerings will be in a much better position down the road.”
While the 2023 EVX Home Charging Study examines the home charging experience of EV owners using Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 chargers, the company only issues an award for the Level 2 permanently mounted charging station segment. Among that group, Tesla ranks highest in customer satisfaction, scoring 790. GRIZZL-E (757) and Emporia (754) rank second and third, respectively. Only one other brand—Clipper Creek, at 744—performs above the segment average of 740.
The 2023 EVX Home Charging Study analyzes survey responses from 13,680 owners of 2017-2023 model-year EVs and plug-in hybrids. JD Power examines satisfaction across eight areas:
Charging at home typically involves a Level 1 or Level 2 charger. Level 1 charging requires a standard 110-volt household outlet and can take days to recharge an EV battery fully. Level 2 charging is several times faster and a much better solution for people with the space needed to install the charger. The chargers cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000, and the installation process can cost thousands if the home needs electrical upgrades. Even so, home charging provides the best EV ownership experience, as the public charging network can be unpredictable.
Chris Teague is an experienced writer in the automotive and technology fields. In
addition to JDPower.com, his work appears at Forbes, The Drive, Your Test Driver, and others.
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